Bergen to deliver hydrogen-ready gensets

Bergen Engines will deliver two hydrogen-ready gensets to energy and environmental services company Edison Next for a power plant in Italy.

Edison Next is a 100% owned subsidiary of Edison and this delivery will be part of their agreement to increase the energy efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint of the Michelin plant in Cuneo.

The new high-efficiency trigeneration plant will be supplying electricity, heat and cooling for the industrial processes of the tire factory in Cuneo – which is Michelin’s largest production site in the Western Europe with an installed production capacity of 13 million car tires per year.

It will be powered by two 11.7 MWe gas gensets, incorporating a 20-cylinder variant of the new Bergen B36:45 engines series. Bergen Engines has committed that these engines will be able to run on a fuel blend with 10% volume hydrogen and 90% volume natural gas.

“Our mission is to lead clients along their decarbonization journey, empowering businesses in being competitive on the market,” said Marco Steardo, Industry Director of Edison Next. “To achieve this objective, we collaborate with leading international companies offering innovative technologies and expertise. The partnership with Bergen Engines is key to achieve the target of this important project.

The Norwegian engine manufacturer is currently conducting a comprehensive test program toward zero carbon emission engines, to allow for a gradual transition from liquid natural gas to 100% green hydrogen fuel. The aim is to have a commercial solution on the market that will accept hydrogen content of up to 60%, and solutions that can be further developed to accept 100% for new engines to come.

For the new Cuneo power plant, the two Bergen gensets will be running in parallel with 1.5 million square feet of solar panels (PV) and steam boilers in a hybrid system, providing a total electrical output of 25 MWe. It will replace the existing 48 MWe power plant that was built in 2008, equipped with a gas turbine and steam turbine.

Bergen Engines has committed that the two B36:45V20 gensets will be able to run on a fuel blend with 10% volume hydrogen and 90 % volume natural gas. (Image: Bergen Engines)

When entering operation in 2023, the new Cuneo power plant will become the fifth CHP project between Bergen Engines and Edison Next in Italy. The plant will be one of the largest cogeneration plant made of reciprocating gas engines managed by Edison Next, supported by Bergen Engines through a 15-year service agreement.

The gensets are planned for shipment from Bergen in Norway in December 2022.